The unmarked slave
by adoneia
Summary: A dalish elf with no Vallaslin; she had to be no more than a child. Sarania bore no marks upon her cheeks. The former first of clan Lavellan was little more than the last survivor of a clan's disaster. Stumbling across a plot that may destroy the world and finding herself thrust in the middle. She feels even more small than before. How did a slave fix the problems with freedom?


**Welcome to my first fanfiction for dragon age! I'm trying out an alternate start for a lavellan inquisitor and I hope you enjoy.**

 **I own nothing! please R and R**

The forest always seemed so quiet and peaceful in times like this. The clan moving from place to place; the Aravals slowly rolling between the trees. The laughter of the young elves filtering through the group as clan Lavellan slowly made their way further south in hopes of finding slightly more forgiving weather.

Sarania watched the others quietly-walking alongside the keeper and keeping a firm grip on her staff.

"You worry too much Dalen." The older woman told her, amused by the young mage's reaction.

Sarania let out a soft sigh, watching some of the young hunters playfully shove each other around. She shook her head slightly and turned to face forward again. Flexing her right hand with a small grimace of discomfort.

Her keeper tilted her head, following her gaze to the boys briefly-and their freshly marked faces, swollen and red but baring their vallaslin to the world.

"Are you worried about the pain?"

Sarania bit down into her bottom lip at the question. Her keeper's eyes however caught the nervous actions and the young mage immediately stopped. "I just don't understand how to become ready for...such a step." She mumbled. "As first should I not...I don't know...be more prepared?" she sighed. "I cannot decide which marks I best embody...or wish to...beyond Mythal's of course..." She murmured. Meeting her keepers eyes again.

She shook out her right hand as another flash of pain shot up through her arm. Reaching up to slowly push the unruly black curls from her face.

Something didn't seem right and her stomach twisted uncomfortably at the foreboding feeling she felt creeping over her; the hairs on the back of her neck lifting.

"You will be ready Sarania..." Her keeper murmured once more; a gentle hand reaching out to gently tousle the short girl's hair. Sarania huffed but merely nodded.

She watched as the keeper turned to inform the others they'd be stopping for the night-observing the way the blood writing flexed and moved as the woman spoke.

She in that moment didn't understand how one day she would take over as keeper of clan Lavellan.

Keeper Deshanna seemed so young and lively; imagining her one day stepping down was impossible.

Night fell quickly as camp was rapidly set up. Soon the young elves were put to rest and Sarania found herself sitting wide awake in one of the Aravels; packed in tight alongside her kin. She sighed softly as sleep still evaded her...raising her still hurting hand to peer at her palm and frown.

...Why did it hurt?

A scream piercing the night air interrupted her thoughts. All around her thin blankets were thrown off, armor and bows quickly grabbed as the dlaish scrambled out of their Aravels to face whatever threat came to their clan.

They were met with flames rising up before them burning the trees. and scorching the side of one of the Aravels.

Sarania moved through the swarming bodies of the archers, finding the children and herding them over and away from the panicking Halla.

"Where is keeper Deshanna!" She cried out to the others-Adan-one only a few years older than her turned after firing an arrow to answer. "Further ahead with those who kept watch."

"Who is attacking?" Sarania demanded-the staff pulled form her back to aid in dousing the flames.

Adan frowned-the branches of ink across his cheeks tugging down.

"We don't know-"

A sudden cry from ahead answered them.

"Slavers!" Veren cried-the clan's blacksmith.

The rest was chaos-burning trees turned into spells being cast back and forth though Sarania's own magic could barely keep up with the multiple enemy slavers.

Elf and enemy alike fell around her, blood pooling beneath their broken bodies. Adan took a shot meant for the clan's first...his lifeless body collapsing before Sarania as she let out a cry in surprise and fear.

She saw the man wielding the bow calmly pull another arrow and aim towards her...for just a moment she forgot all about the fact that she was a mage.

Where was the keeper? Her brother?

Dead? captured? Apparently she was next. Her hand seemed to move in slow motion as the arrow was fired-lifting as if to block the shot.

Instead a green explosion erupted in the area that multiple enemies stood moving to face her.

Their skin seemed to peel away as they screamed blowing away in the wind as green piles of ash.

Murdered and nothing but dust in the wind.

Sarania stumbled back-her palm flashing in pain...

what had she done.

A hand clapped down on her shoulder and she screamed only to be spun towards the wild eyed face of her keeper.

"You killed them Dalen."

Sarania mutely nodded.

"...This is a nightmare." Sarania croaked-her voice breaking apart as tears spilled out of her bright eyes.

Deshanna gave an odd smile her eyes seeming to almost flash.

"Luckily for you...nightmares end."

Sarania wiped at her face. Confused as her gaze wandered over the blood soaked ground.

"H-how?"

Deshanna tilted her head. "...All you do is wake up."

Sarania jolted awake with a scream. Her hand raising to slam over her mouth to stop the strangled noise. Her other hand curling in the sheets of the soft mattress below her.

An elf that had just walked in dropped the box of supplies she carried. " I'm sorry! I did not mean to wake you!"

Sarania sat up; desperately trying to calm her racing heart-she looked around wildly her gaze finally landing on the elven servant who flinched away from the woman's stare...

"You are back in Haven, my lady." She hesitantly muttered hesitantly.

And all the memories before falling unconscious came rushing back.


End file.
